Apparatus for manufacturing inner tubes



Dec. 4, 1928. 11,693,637

J. P. (ZOE APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING INNER TUBES Original Filed Aug.4, 1926 2 SheetS- Sheet 1 Dec. 4, 1928. 1,693,637

J. P. coE

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING INNER TUBES Original Filed Aug. 4, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR John 1 C09 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

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APPARATUS non. mno'raorunme INNER Turns.

flriginal application filed August 4, 1926, Serial at. 126,971. Dividedand this application filed April 10,

- 1928. Serial No. 268,869.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 126,971, filedAug. 4, 1926.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the manufacture of endlesstubular articles and more particularly to an apparatus for transverselysplicing inner tubes prior to their vulcanization.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus foreconomically SpllClIlg the ends of a hollow rubber article, such as aninner tube, in order to make it endless for facilitating the applicationof pressure to and the welding of the stock in the splicmg operation,and for permitting the exped1- home removal of the endless tube orarticle from the apparatus after the splice has been made. These aresome of the objects of the invention, other objects of which will appearlater in connection with the detailed descripso tion.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrusted in the accompanyingdrawings m which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section showlng at the mandrels mounted inopposition in a press or vise which is in open position;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device;

Fi 3 is an end view showing the gap or openm in the to of the jaws ofthe vise so throu which tu ing to be spliced may be intro uoed into themandrels;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the unvuloanized composition tubingin a position immediately before the ends are squeezed toas gather;

Fig. 5 is a section similar to that shown 1n Fig. ii-showing a method ofreinforcmg the r Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section showing a,

modified form of cutting die or mandrel, and Fig. 7 is a longitudinalsection showlng a means of thickening the splice by lntroducin a stripof rubber between the ends of the to Re erring first to Fig. 1, 1t W111be seen that a air of cutting dies or mandrels are mounte in oppositionin a press or vise comprising the base 1, a stationary aw 2, and amovable jaw 3. 'the movable aw 3 .1s ada ted to so travel in theslideway which is forme by the plates 4 secured to the base the bolts orrivets 5. A worm gear 6 1s 'provlded on which the-movable jaw 3 may becaused to travel to or away from the stationary jaw 2 by operation ofthe wheel 7. The cutting dies or mandrels 8 are rigidly fixed inopposition in the two jaws of the vise by screws '9. Each mandrel isprovided at the top with a removable section 10 permitting the completedtube to be removed from the enclosingform. The tubing 11 to be splicedis placed within the mandrels and the protruding ends turned back overthe cutting ends of the dies. The wheel 7 is then operated causing themovable jaw 3 to move forward bringing the two cutting dies intocontact, cutting off the turned-back portions or ends and squeezingtogether the two ends of the tubin thereby uniting it into an endlesstube 0% annular form. 7

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that a gap or opening is providedin the topof both the vise members 2 and 3 through which the tubing maybe initially supplied to the mandrels. In the practice of this methodfor splicing tubes a pair of mandrelsvwillbe provided, perhaps 6 long,of the desired diameter, and with the cutting ends rounded or beveled orotherwise shaped, as desired. It has been found that if the cutting dieor mandrel is thicker for the same thickness of' rubber, the areasubjected to the welding action is greater and a stronger seam results.

The same thing can be accomplished by using a die with a fiat beveledface, as shown in Fig.

6, or by increasing the thickness of the rubber at the seam'by addlng astrip, as shown in Fi 7. hig. 5 is a longitudinal section of thevulcanized composition tubing illustrating how the seam may bereinforced if desired by wrapping strips of rubber around the tubeat'the point of union.

When the ends to be spliced are pressed together the manner disclosedabove the seam will be formed almost instantaneously. It has been foundthat some seams formed in this manner are definitely stronger than therest of the tube wall without any further treatment after cutting.

In practice it may or may not be necessary, depending upon factoryconditions, to clean the ends of the tubing with naphtha, or othersuitable fluid, before splicing. It may also be desirable to firstdampen the ends of the cuflz with benzol.

An inflating valve stem is built intothe body of. the unvulcanized tubein any convement and well-known manner, preferably before uniting theends. The completed tube is then placed in a mold and filled with afluid under pressure, such as inert gas, water, or steam, andvulcanized, or it may be vulcanized in a pan of talc or otherwise.

The apparatus of the present invention is simple and inexpensive. Ofcourse any suitable means may be employed to move either or both of the'aws 2 and 3. The movable section 10 of eac of the mandrels 8, ofcourse, permits the endless article to be removed with facility throughthe gap or slot provided in eacn of the aws or vises 2 and 3. Asillustrated, the sections 10 are com letel separable from the lowersection 0 eac mandrel, but obviously they may be hinged together orotherwise articulated for movement to open the mandrel and permitlateral removal of the spliced endless tube. The mandrels 8, whilepreferably as shown made independent of the jaws 2 and 3, need not be somade integral formation with said jaws being obviously an alternativeexpedient. Various changes and alterations may be made in theconstruction without departing from the underlying princi les of theinvention, and reference should t erefore be made to the accompanyingclaims for an understanding of the scope.

Having thus described my inventlon, what I claim and desire ent is:

1. An apparatus for splicing hollow rubber articles into an endless formcomprising means encircling each end of the hollow article andpermitting portions of the 0 en end of the article to be turned outwarly, and means for moving the first mentioned means together to join theends of the hollow article in the form of an annular seam, said firstmentioned means having relatively movable parts permitting removal ofthe endless article after seaming.

2. An apparatus for splicing tubes into an endless form comprising apair of mandrels having complete endless cutting ends to protect byLetters Patand each mandrel having at least one movable section pastwhich an endless spliced tube may be withdrawn, and means for moving themandrels oppositely to efiect a complete splicing of tu e ends mountedthereon.

3. An apparatus for splicing tubes into an endless form comprising apalr of mandrels having cutting ends and each mandrel hav-' ing at leastone shiftable section past which an endless spliced tube ma bewithdrawn, members for supporting said posed cooperative relation, andmeans for approaching and separating said members and mandrels, each ofsaid members being provided with an opening adapted also to pass aspliced endless tube.

Signed at New York, county and State of New York, this 30th day ofMarch, 1928.

" JOHN. P. COE.

mandrels in op-

